There currently exist various systems for the construction of concrete slabs for the floor structure and flat roof in the building of real estate for housing, offices, commercial establishments, industries, etc. Such structures include those that are poured in place, those that are prefabricated, and combinations of both of these. In the latter of these are found slab systems formed on the basis of concrete plates, others with "T" or double "T" beam or box beam forms, and still others on the basis of beams or joists and arches between steel floor beams.
In the field of the slab systems comprising joists and arches between steel floor beams there are several types, both in form and in manufacturing process, but which in summary can be described as the combination of the following elements:
(1) a strong element for resisting stress, designated beam, joist, half-joist or stringer;
(2) a filler element which has the function of acting as drowned or lost arch centering and which occupies a space which does not function structurally called the arch between steel floor beams; and
(3) a third element of simple or reinforced concrete which is poured in place on the upper bed of the former two, forming the system's compression zone for integration into a single structural body called the slab.
The significance of my invention is that in a very simple manner the use of the arch between steel floor beams is eliminated, providing an economical and easy solution for the construction of floor structures and roofs on the basis of beams or joists and compression slabs, having great advantages such as:
(1) a considerable cost savings upon eliminating an element which does not work structurally and which is not recoverable unlike my invention which substitutes this element and which is recoverable after the setting of the compression slabs; and PA1 (2) Savings in dead weight in the case of cement or ceramic arches between steel floor beams. In the case of polystyrene arches between steel floor beams the weight is negligible, but the savings is of an economic type.
In other cases the purpose of my invention is to obtain a floor structure or flat roof on the basis of stringers and compression slabs, the final configuration of which is that which would be obtained with known systems such as beams or prefabricated "T" or double "T" slabs, which in certain construction work can present transportation or placement difficulties due to their great weight and dimensions. By contrast, with my invention the procedure is simplified, requiring mounting of only the rectangular section prefabricated beams and employing my self-supportable arch centering for the pouring of the slab.
In this case and in the aforementioned one, the additional advantages are:
(a) Cost savings, because other materials are not required for generating the finish on the lower bed of the floor structure or flat roof;
(b) Speed in its placement, since it is self-supportable, not requiring a false construction;
(c) Speed in stripping forms, since its recovery is done by means of its elastic deformation device; and
(d) Greater number of uses, since the stripping can be effected in some cases after the initial setting of the compression concrete (approximately four hours).